What I've heard is that Alexander Rachmaninoff (Konus), SVR's grandson and inheritor of the Senar discovered new pages of the fuga, he chose Matsuev to play it.Interesting and much applauded to is the fact that he allowed the pianist to make a record only if he quites smoking, because smoking led to Rachmaninoff's cancer disease.

Marianne wrote:What I've heard is that Alexander Rachmaninoff (Konus), SVR's grandson and inheritor of the Senar discovered new pages of the fuga, he chose Matsuev to play it.Interesting and much applauded to is the fact that he allowed the pianist to make a record only if he quites smoking, because smoking led to Rachmaninoff's cancer disease.

Honestly, I've wondered about this. Harrison's bio states SVR suffered from melanoma, a particularly nasty form of skin cancer, which ultimately spread to the vital organs, and was too widespread, finally, to treat.

Yes. But I think that not smoking alone killed him. I think the war actually did. He was very sensitive and had very strong call of duty and compassion, because he had lots of problems since his early childhood and knew what the suffering tastes like.He smoke to kill this sensitivness... to be a successful performer, business man I wish we knew what a composer he would be if he never touched the tobacco.